3 Now .. a neighborhood crime alert in Ponte Vedra Beach. The sheriff's office tells us that part of Northeastern Saint Johns County has been having an alarming number of break-ins .. targeting both cars and homes. Since the first of the year .. just 15 days ago .. there have been 57 auto burglaries and 15 home burglaries Channel 4's Vic Micolucci talked with investigators .. and with a woman whose car was hit by thieves. He is joining us live from the scene of one of the crimes in St Johns County. Vic. 3 3 VIC LIVE IN: Here was broken into at a dance studio, others were in driveways, the YMCA, even this public library... the number would be high anywhere ...but especially here in Ponte Vedra...a place people go to escape crime. 3 00-0610-1656-1'0249:09 they took everything, I mean everything, they cleaned it out. Mirta Colon says she was picking her daughter up from dance when the crooks moved in...40:31 when my daughter came into the truck she said 'mom, your car is clean. Did you get it cleaned?' I said 'no I need to get it cleaned.' I left, I went home. I didn't realize that somebody had taken stuff right out of my truck. She says she reported it to deputies...46:37 yes it was locked. And just a couple hours after the ripoff ... she says the bad guys were using her money -- about 300 dollars of it -- at Jacksonville stores.47:01 we could see it on our accounts that they were using our credit cards as we were talking to the cops.40:59 so far we have 57 since January 1. That's right...St Johns County deputies say there've been that many in the Northeastern part of the county in a little more than two weeks...and 15 homes have also been burglarized.40:04 we continue to patrol, we have increased our neighborhood watch, we have been reaching out to the public and all we can ask is that they help us and assist us in this arena. One man's been arrested... detectives are tying Adam Bridges to at least 9 of the heists...and they say more bandits have been identified and charged with the car crimes. Colon hopes everyone is caught... before they commit crimes that are even worse.47:38 there's a lot that you have to think and worry about. My worry is not about the money it's about the safety. 3 VIC LIVE TAG: The library's manager says she's been letting people here know about the problems...she knows of at least 3 burglaries. There are signs like this one all over...and employees are patrolling the parking lot. Live in PVB, Vic Micolucci, Ch4, TLS. Vic, How many of the cars broken into were unlocked?ANSW ER: Sgt. Paynes says about 85 percent ...and she says that's making it too easy for the crooks. She also says people need to keep their belongings with them...or at least hide them. We'll have much more on staying safe...tonight at 6.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -

There have been 57 car burglaries and 15 home burglaries in the Ponte Vedra Beach area since the first of the year, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.

Colon said she was picking her daughter up from dance practice when the crooks moved in.

"When my daughter came into the truck, she said, 'Mom, your car is clean. Did you get it cleaned?'" Colon said. "I said, 'No, I need to get it cleaned.' I left. I went home. I didn't realize that somebody had taken stuff right out of my truck."

Colon reported the break-in to deputies. She said her SUV was locked but the crooks still managed to take DVDs, chargers, even floor mats and the vehicle's owner's manual.

Colon said that just a couple hours after the burglary, the thieves were using her credits cards -- which they also stole from her SUV -- at Jacksonville stores, ringing up about $300 worth of merchandise.

"We could see it on our accounts that they were using our credit cards as we were talking to the cops," Colon said.

"We continue to patrol," Sheriff's Office Sgt. Catherine Payne said of the burglaries. "We have increased our neighborhood watch. We have been reaching out to the public, and all we can ask is that they help us and assist us in this area."

Payne said about 86 percent of the cars broken into had their doors unlocked.

"It's a continuing problem with unlocked vehicles and unlocked residences," Payne said. "Criminals are going to use whatever opportunity they can, and if your vehicle's not locked they're going to go through it, especially if they can see valuables inside."

One man has been arrested in some of the burglaries. Detectives said they're tying 18-year-old Adam Bridges (pictured) to at least nine of the heists, and they say more suspects have been identified and charged with the car crimes.

Colon hopes everyone is caught before they commit crimes that are worse.

"There's a lot that you have to think and worry about," she said. "My worry is not about the money, it's about the safety."

The library's manager said she's been letting people know about the problems. She knows of at least three burglaries, and as a result, the library has placed signs all over and employees are patrolling the parking lot.

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